Dry-pipe valve



May s, 1925. h 16,060

A. J. LOEPSINGER DRY PIPE VALVE ori i Filed Nov. r r, 1910 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fly. 1.

May 5, 1925. 16,060

A. J. LOEPSINGER DRY PIPE VALVE Original Filed Nov. 1'7, 1910 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 172 7/ enioi" May 5; 1925.

A. J LOEPSINGER DRY PIPE VALVE Original Filed 1'7. 1910 3 Sheets-Sheet s Z72venior ReissuedMay 5,1925 i r p 7 Re. l6,060 UNITED STATES OFFICE.

ALBERT J. LOEPSINGER, OF 'CRA NSTON, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,-A CORPORATION OF -NEW YORK.

DRY-PIPE VALVE.

Original 11'o..1,19 6,874',' dated September 5, 1916, Serial No. 592,810,- filed November 17, 1910. Application i for reissue filed July'15, 1918. Serial No. 245,110.

To all. whom, it may concern: distance from said common center than the 455 Be itknown'that I, ALBERT J. LOEPSIN- axis of thew-ater valve, whereby there will GER, of the city ofCranston, and the county be a' correspondingly greater leverage,

of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, through which the air' pressure acts, as com- I have invented certain new and'useful Impared with the leverage throughwhichthe :"p'rovementsin Dry-Pipe Valves; and I'do water pressure acts. I ,00 hereby declare the following specification, Two forms of valves embodying the inventaken in connection'with the accompanying tion are shown in the drawings. In the drawings, forming a part of the same, to be first form the air-valve and the water-valve,

a full, clear, and exact'description thereof. together'with the seats therefor, are ar- Dry' pipe valves for use in automatic ranged in different planes and at an angle sprinkler systems comprise a water valve to each other. In the other form the airand an air-valve, and are'ordinarily so convalve and the water-valve are arranged in structed that the water-valve will be held the same plane, but said valves and the seats 15 closed against the water-pressure in the suptherefor are arranged eccentric to each other. ply-pipe by air in the distributing pipes at In both of these forms of valves it will be a pressure materially less than the pressure seen that the air-valve is of larger diameter of the water in the supply-pipe. In some and thus has a greater area than the water- I cases the mechanical advantage necessary to valve, and so that. in each form of valve there 2 secure this result is obtained by making the is available for holding the water-valve air-valve, that is, the valve which issubclosed, not only differential leverage, but

jectedflto the air-pressure in the distributing also the differential area of the air-valve. pipes, of greater area than the water-valve; The invention further consists. in certain in other cases such mechanical advantage is constructions, arrangements and combina- ;obtained by the interposition of a lever or tions of parts hereinafter described and a system of levers-between the air-valve claimed. 1 1 and the water-valve. Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a In both cases the dry-pipe valve structure longitudinal sectional view of one form of is necessarily large and cumbersome and of dry pipe valve embodying the invention; so such a size that the valve cannot in many Fig. 2' is a. corresponding sectional view of gases for lack of room be convenientlyinanother form of dr pipe valveembodying 86 stalled in the place desired. In the case of the invention; and dig. 3 is a horizontal seethe differential valve the undue size is due tion on the line rt'm of Fig. 2. to the presence of the lever or levers and Referring to the construction shown in as necessary interposition thereof between the -F ig. 1, the valve-casing comprises twoparts air-valve and the Water-valve. Bot-h kinds- 1 and 2, the abutting faces of which are of dry pipe valves are also, by reason of formed at an angle to the axis of the watertheir construction, necessarily expensive, and way, as shown, the two parts being secured of such cost as to in many cases preclude together'by bolts 3. The part 1 of the valve 1 40 their introduction. casing is provided with an inlet opening The object of the present invention is to 4 adapted to communicate with the water '05 produce a dry pipe valve whichshall be sinisupplyepipe, and the part 2 is provided with ple and correspondingly cheap to construct, an on let opening 5 adapted to communicate and which shall also be comparatively small with the 'IlSBI' of a rinkler system. The 6 in size, and so that the structure as a whole, inlet opening is provided with a'valve-seat' will occupy a materially less space than the "6 for the wa er-valve 7, while the part 1 of dry pipe valves as heretofore constructed. a the valve-casing is provided with an an ii- To that end the invention consists pril r y arran ed v t 8 f r he ir-Va ve marily in so arranging the air valve and the E8011 0 these Valve ts u r ll l h water "valve that each of them closes the a er y, hi h istherefore clo'sedby both waterway when seated, and in mounting a es when Seatedsaid valves to swing about a common center The water-valve 7 and the air-valve 9 are located outside of the waterway and with arranged at a corresponding angle to each the axis f t e a r valve'located at a g eater othe a d a dwateralve and a r-va ve are:

construction shown" the connected together by a webbed bridgepiece 10, whereby they are adapted to transmit pressure from one to the other when seated. The two valves thus connected are carried by a swinging arm 11, one end of which is secured to theair-valve, the other end of said armbeingpivoted to the part L of the valve-casing by a pivotepin 12. The arm-11, in the construction shown, is bent so as to bring-the pivot 12 below the watervalve 8, This construction of the arm 11 and location of the pivot 12, not'only irrsures that the distance from the pivot to the axis of the air-valveshall be greater than the'distance from the pivotto the axis of the water-valve, but also serves toreduce the space required for the valves to swing in, thereby correspondingly reducing the size of the valve casing. Y y

The air-valve 9 is preferably provided with an annular lip of flexible or yielding material 13, which may be secured to the main body of said air-valve by screws 14, said lip 13 constituting the part whichseats upon the valve-seat 8. The employment of such yielding portion 13 serves to facilitate the proper seating of the air-valve and water-valve, respectively. Preferably the arm 11 series of teeth 15 adapted to be engaged by a pivotedhook or latch 16 for the purpose of holding the valve structure in open position and preventing it from accidentally closing again after 'ithas once opened orpartially opened. Thevalve casing is provided with a hand hole cover 17, through which the valve structure may be inserted in or removed from the valve casing, and in the hook or latch 16 is pivoted to this, hand-hole cover. Another hand-hole cover 18 indicated bydotted lines is provided to permit access to the interior of theyalve casing for the purpose of cleaning the valve-seats and resetting the valves. A. dri opening communicates with the interme iatechamber between the two valveseats for the purpose of taking care of leakage, past either the water-valve or theairvalve, said drip op'enin being preferably provided with the usua drip-valve .19, as shown.

. Referring now-to the construction shown in Fig. 2, the valve casing likewise comprises two parts 10 and QO'secured together by bolts 30, the abutting faces of the two parts being in this case arranged at right angles to the axis of the water-way. .The part 10. of the valve-casing is providedwith an inlet opening 40 adapted to communicate with the water supply pipe, and the part 20 is providedwith an outlet opening 50 adapted] to communicate with the riser of -a sprinkler system. In this construction the water-valve and the air-valve are arranged in the -'same plane, and in the 'iorm shown the'twovalves '5 provided with a" stitute a. single valve-plate having different seating surfaces, as hereinafter explained. The two valve-seats for said water-valve and air-valve are likewise consolidated, being both formed on a single seat-ring 60, as shown. Said seat-ring 60 is provided with a groove or recess 61. Said groove or recess, instead of being formed concentric with the. axis of the water-way, is formed eccentric, as shown. By this construction two valveseats are formed, one valve-seat 62, the valve-seat for the watervalve,-being concentric with the axis of the water-way, and the other valve-seat 63,-the valve-seat for the air-valve,being eccentric to the axis of the water-way. The valve-plate above referred to overlies'both of said valve-seats, and that portion 72 of said valve-plate which overlies and seats upon the valve-seat 62 constitutes the water-valve, while that portion 73 of said valve-plate which overlies and seats -upon the valve-seat 63 constitutes the air-valve. A drip opening Get, which may be provided with the usual drip-valve, communicates with the recess 61 and thus with the intermediate chamber located between the two valve-seats, for the purpose of taking care of leakage past either the waterva'lve or the airvalve.

The valve-plate '70 comprising both the water-valve and the air-valve is carried by a swinging arm 110, one end of which is secured to said valve-plate, the other end of said arm being pivoted to the part 10 of the valve-casing by a pivot-pin 120. The arm 1-10, in the construction shown, is bent and so as to bring the pivot 120 below the valveplate. This construction of the arm 110 and location ,of the pivot 120 serves to reduce the space required for the valve-plate to swing in, thereby correspondingly reducing the size of the valve-casing. I

Preferably the arm 110 is provided with a series of serrations 150 adapted to be engaged by a pivoted hook or latch 160, for the purpose of holding the valve-plate in open position and preventing it from accidentally closing again after it has once opened or partially opened. The valve-cas= ing is providedwith a hand-hole cover 170 throughwhich the valve structure may be inserted in, or removed from, the valve casing, and in the construction shown the hook or latch 160 is pivoted to this handhole cover.

With each of the constructions above described, when the air-valve and water-valve are seated and air-pressure is pumped up in the sprinkler system, the water-valve will be held closed by the air-pressure in the system acting upon the air-valve, and with each of said constructions, as will be understood, the air-pressure required to'hold the water-valve closed; may be materially-"less are formed integral with each other and con- CIA -than the water-pressure which is acting on the water-valve and tending to "open the.

same. I

When the air-pressure in the system becomes reduced below the predetermined point, as by the opening of one or more sprinklers, and so that such air-pressure is no longer able to hold the water-valve;

closed, the water-pressure acting upon the Water-valve will serve to open the same, and

invthus opening, the water-valve andfthe air-valve will both be caused to swing about a common center and in so swinging. will be moved to a position wholly to one side of the water-way, and so as to leave a free and unobstructed passage for the .water in,

flowing to the sprinklersystem. As the water-valve and air-valve are thus swung abouta common center, the hook or latch 16; automatically engages successively the teeth 15, and so that said latch will serve I to hold the valves in their open position and to prevent their being accidentally closed.

In both of the co'nstructions shown, as

will be seen, the air-valve and the watervalve are connected together and mounted to swing about a common center, and in both constructions the axis of the air-valve is at a greater distance from said common center than the axis of the water-valve, and

so that consequently there will be a correspondingly greater leverage through which the air-pressure acts, as compared with the leverage through which thewater-pressure acts, and so that by reason ofthe greater leverage for the air-valve thus provided the water-valve will be held closed by an airpressuie in'the system correspondingly less than the water-pressure acting on said wa-- tor-valve and tending to open the same.

hile in both of the constructions shown thearea of the air-valve subjected to the air-pressure in the system is materially larger than the area of the water-valve sub-. jccted to the watei pressure in the supplypipe, and so that there is thus present, to assist in holding the water-valve closed, such differential area of the .ai'r-valve,in addition to the difl'erential leverage referred to, it will be seen, that by reason of such differential leverage the area of the air-valve 'may'bematerially lessened, ,as compared with'what would be requirediif such differential leverage were not present. As will be seen, the size of the valvestructure 'asa whole, including the valve-casing, is accordingly much less than has formerly been required, and so that such valve structure may be installed in places where prior valve structures could not, by reason of their size, be located.

It will be further seen that by the location of the-common center for the air-valve and water valve below the valve-seat for the water-valve, the space required for the valve of. the waterway,

- or valves'to swing in is lessened and the size of the valve structure as a whole still further reduced. .Y-

' It will further be seen that with the constructions shown and described the employ-. v-.mentf-ofylevers interposed between the airvalve and the water-valve is dispensed with,

therebyv not only reducing the size of the the'waterway at each valve and transmit pressure from one to the other when seated and valve-carrying means mounted outside of'the waterway to swing about 'a centerwith respect ,to which the air valve has greater leverage than the water valve.

2. A dry pipe valve comprising an airvalve and a water valve arranged to close the waterway at each valve and transmit pressure from one to the other when seated, the area of the air valve being greater than that of the water valve, and valve-carrying means mounted outside of the waterway to swing about a center with respect to which the air valve has greater leverage than the water valve.

3. A dry pipe valve comprising 'an air valve and a water valve a'rranged to close means located outside of the waterway and mounted to swing about a center-with respect to which the air valve has greater leverage than the water valve.

4. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing, an arm pivotally mounted therein, outside said arm, a water valve carried by the air valve, and valve seats at each of which the waterway isclosed by the corresponding valve when seated, the pivotal'axis of said arm being so located that the air valve has greater leverage than the water valve.

5. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing,

an arm pivotally mounted therein, outside ofthe waterway, an air valve carried by said arm, a water valve carried by the air valve at an oblique angle thereto, and valve seats at each of which the, waterway'is closed by the corresponding valve when seated, the

pivotal axis of said arm being so located that the air. valve has greater leverage than the water valve. r

I 6. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing, an arm pivotally mounted therein,- an air valve carried by said arm, a water valve carried by the air valve at an. oblique angle. thereto, and'valve seats arranged at an oblique an air valve carried by at each of which. the Waterway is closed by the, corresponding valve when seated, said arm being connected to the air valveon the outlet side of the air valve seat and having its pivotal axis located on the inlet side of the plane of the water valve seat, out of but adjacent to the waterway.

7. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing containing an air valve seat arranged at an inclination with respect to the waterway and a water valve seat extending transversely with respect to the waterway, said seats being located one beyond the otherwith the waterway passing through both of them, a pivotally-mounted arm located outside of the valve seats and movable toward .and away from the latter, anair valve carried by said arm, and a water valve carried by the air valve. 7

8. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing providing an upwardlyextending waterway and containing a slanting air valve seat and a transversely-extending water valve seat, said seats being located one above the other with the waterway passing through both of them, a pivotally-mounted arm located outside of the valve seats and movable toward and away from the latter, an air valve carried by said arm, and a water valve carried by the air valve.

.9. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing providing an upwardly-extending waterway and containing a slanting air valve seat and a transversely-extending water valve seat, said seats being located one above the other with the waterway passing through both of them, an arm located outside of the valve seats and mounted to swing on a pivotal axis located below the water valve seat and adjacent to thewaterway, an air valve carried by said arm, and a water valve carried by the air valve.

10. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing; a water valve and an air valve constructed and arranged to constitute a single valve structure; and valve carrying means pivotally connecting said valve structure to the casing having an axis, about which the valve structure swings, located below the plane of the water valve and vertically below the air valve.

' 11. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing providing an upward extending waterway; an air valve arranged to be seated at an inclination with respect to the waterway; a water valve extending across the waterway and arranged to be seated at an angle with respect to the air valve; and valve carrying means pivotally connecting said valves to the casing and having an axis, about which the valves swing, below the planes of the seats of both valves.

12. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing, a water valve and an air valve greatly exceeding the water valve in area and set at an angle therewith, and valve carrying means therefor adapted to guide the valves out of the water way in short course, restricted in height to less than the height required for swinging of a valve about a pivot set in the plane of the seat of that valve, the'said greater air jva-lve being in the lead of the water valve by virtue of its said angle and thereby expediting its over-balancmg.

13. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing providing an upward extending waterway, and containing a water valve seat and a;

slanting air Val"6 seat whose plane makes an acute angle with the axis of the waterway; a water valve and an air valve arranged to be seated by gravity; a pivotal mounting means for said valves, having anaxis below the plane of the air valve seat and within the acuteangle it forms with the axis of the waterway; said means being adapted, upon unseating'of the valves, to guide them in a short restricted path to a position outside of the waterway. q

ALBERT J. LOEPSINGER.

Witnesses:

J. H. THURSTON, E. TANNER. 

